Harry Caray referred to it as the "unofficial opening day", some refer to it as the "kick-off to spring training", call it what you want but the bottom line is baseball is just around the corner. The 27th Annual Cubs Convention officially begins this afternoon at the Hilton Chicago. Pat Hughes will once again have the honor of introducing the Cubs past, present and future during the Opening Ceremonies but this convention will be a little bit different than previous years.
Theo Epstein, Jed … [Read more...]

The schedule for the 27th Annual Cubs Convention was released Sunday night and Monday morning. The three-day event begins Friday afternoon at the Hilton Chicago.
The Cubs' new front office will be in attendance and the Saturday morning session with Theo Epstein figures to have the biggest crowd of the weekend. Cubs past and present, the entire front office including Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod will be in attendance. The Ricketts family will hold their question and answer session on Saturday … [Read more...]

As anticipated last week was a busy one for the Chicago Cubs ... and it could be more of the same over the next five days leading up to the convention. The Cubs are looking to add pitching (starters and relievers) as they try to finalize their roster heading into Spring Training.
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer acquired Chris Volstad for Carlos Zambrano and landed Anthony Rizzo and Zach Cates for Andrew Cashner and Kyung-Min Na ... to say the Cubs' new regime has been busy would be an … [Read more...]

Merry Christmas from everyone at the CCO!
For those looking for their baseball fix after opening what the jolly old elf brought down your chimney, here is another look inside the Cubstory book.
Did you ever wonder when the Cubs played their first game? Or who holds the franchise record for the longest hitting streak? Do you know who the primary third baseman was in the famed Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance infield? Or which player hit the first grand slam in the franchise's history? How about the … [Read more...]

According to multiple reports, Ron Santo has been elected into the Hall of Fame. This has to be a bittersweet day for the Santo family as he should have been the one receiving the call from the hall. Santo passed away one year and two days ago and one could only imagine how happy he would have been to finally be on his way to Cooperstown.
Ron Santo, the player, should have been enshrined a long time ago. There are many theories as to why Santo was not elected over the years but the bottom line … [Read more...]

Baseball's Winter Meetings officially begin on Monday but many are already in Dallas getting an early jump on the week ahead ... and that includes the Chicago Cubs' new front office. According to Tom Ricketts, a big contingent of the Cubs' regime, including Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, are in Dallas preparing for what figures to be a big week for the Cubs.
The Cubs are one of the teams that many are expecting to be very active during the meetings. Epstein and Hoyer have a lot of holes to fill … [Read more...]

The final countdown to Baseball's Winter Meetings has begun and most of the experts think there is going to be a lot of activity in Dallas ... with the Cubs right in the middle of the action. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have many holes to fill in order to field a team for next season. The Cubs are reportedly looking to add starting pitching and a left-handed bat.
Jed Hoyer said earlier in the week they have been talking to numerous teams and agents over the last few weeks leading up to … [Read more...]

If Tuesday was any indication, the next nine days should be anything but boring for the Chicago Cubs ... and Jed Hoyer even indicated as much.
From Albert Pujols to Prince Fielder to Alfonso Soriano to Tom Ricketts, news and rumors came from all directions.
Jed Hoyer spent time on MLB Network Radio (XM Radio) on Tuesday. Hoyer predicted a lot of action during the Winter Meetings and said the Cubs needs this off-season are left-handed hitters, improving the team's defense and depth in the … [Read more...]

Could the Cubs' new front office be planning major changes to the roster they inherited?
Jim Bowden reported over the weekend that the Cubs "have been very aggressive with a wide range of free agents and have been in on trade talks with at least a dozen clubs." Bowden has heard that the Cubs "conversations have not been limited to long-term solutions" but have "included everyone from prospects to one-year stop-gap players."
Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have reportedly been listening to offers on … [Read more...]

Thanksgiving has come and gone and so has Black Friday, once the holiday weekend comes to an end it figures to get very busy for the Chicago Cubs. Baseball's Winter Meetings kickoff a week from Monday, so this time next week all of baseball will start making their way to Dallas.
The Cubs offered salary arbitration to both Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena prior to Wednesday's deadline. Both players have until December 7 to accept or decline arbitration. Kerry Wood was not offered arbitration but … [Read more...]